Gaza Death Toll Tops 69,169 as Strikes Continue and West Bank Violence Escalates

Gaza: Death Toll and Ongoing Incidents

Nearly a month after the US-brokered ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, Gaza's Ministry of Health reported that the death toll in the enclave since October 7, 2023, has risen to 69,169 following additional identifications and body recoveries.

The ministry said Israeli strikes have killed more than 240 Palestinians since the truce took effect last month. On Saturday the Israeli military reported it shot dead a Palestinian in northern Gaza who crossed the so-called "yellow line" and approached soldiers operating in that area. The army also said it killed another Palestinian in southern Gaza who crossed the demarcation and allegedly "posed an immediate threat" to troops. The "yellow line" is the boundary to which Israeli forces agreed to withdraw under the truce.

Separately, Nasser Hospital reported that a child in Khan Younis was killed when an explosive device left behind by Israeli forces detonated.

Rafah Crossing and Medical Evacuations

The World Health Organization (WHO) urged that the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt be reopened to allow urgent medical evacuations and deliveries of health supplies. According to the WHO, about 4,000 Palestinian patients have left Gaza via Rafah for treatment in Egypt and elsewhere, while another 16,500 patients remain on waiting lists for care abroad. The WHO described Rafah as a "vital exit for medical evacuations and a key entry for health supplies into Gaza."

West Bank: Settler Violence and Military Raids

Violence and raids continued in the occupied West Bank, with Palestinians and rights groups linking the incidents to efforts to expand settlements. On Saturday, dozens of masked Israeli settlers allegedly attacked Palestinian villagers, activists and journalists who had gathered to harvest olives in Beita, south of Nablus. Jonathan Pollak, an Israeli activist assisting with the harvest, told Al Jazeera that the settlers descended from a nearby hill armed with clubs and hurled large rocks, forcing people to flee.

The assault resulted in more than a dozen injuries requiring medical attention, including a journalist who was beaten and a 70-year-old activist who suffered broken facial bones. The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate named five injured journalists — Ranin Sawafteh, Mohammed al-Atrash, Louay Saeed, Nasser Ishtayeh and Nael Bouaitel — and condemned the attack. Reuters confirmed that two of its employees, a journalist and a security adviser, were among the wounded.

The United Nations said at least 126 attacks by settlers had been recorded since September across some 70 towns and villages, with more than 4,000 olive trees and saplings vandalised or uprooted this season.

Other Incidents Reported

Wafa, the Palestinian news agency, reported that settlers attacked homes in the village of Raba, southeast of Jenin, while armed Israeli soldiers entered the village simultaneously. The Palestinian Health Ministry said soldiers shot and injured a man during a raid in the Far'a refugee camp, south of Tubas. Authorities also reported the arrest of a 13-year-old in Yabad (near Jenin) after an on-street beating, and the detention of a young man in al-Mazraa ash-Sharqiya (near Ramallah).

In ar-Ram, north of occupied East Jerusalem, a Palestinian man was shot in the leg near Israel's separation wall and taken to a medical facility in Ramallah. Dozens of worshippers suffered from tear gas inhalation after Israeli forces fired gas canisters at evening prayers at the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Mosque in Salem, east of Nablus.

Note: All casualty figures and incident reports are attributed to the Gaza Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization, Palestinian authorities, local news agencies and international media reports cited in the original coverage.